I definitely worked up a sweat today with my workout. I also had a woman approach me at the gym while in between my leg extension sets and ask me if I was a trainer there. I told her I wasn't, but thanked her for the compliment. Made me feel pretty awesome. I am slowly starting to increase the weights for my legs because I feel like I should be lifting a bit heavier. I am not seeing as much change in my legs as I would like. I am just going to keep at it because I know that these things take considerable time.

Also, I ran 16 miles Saturday morning....16 MILES!!!!! I wanted to throw up when I got home and just laid on the floor for a bit because I couldn't do much else without shaking. But I was so proud of myself, it's the longest and farthest I have ever run. 2 years ago I would have told you you were smoking something if you mentioned me running anything more than a couple of miles. And here I am running 16. Of course, I tell my friends and family this and a lot of them ask me why? Why would I want to run that long or that far? Or, am I still doing that weight loss thing? I've come to find comfort and support in my new fitness and athletic friends that I have made within the last year or so, because they understand these things like no one else. They are the ones cheering me on when I announce my first unassisted pullup or the inkling of an oblique outline in my stomach. I am thankful for a forum like this as well for providing this support as well.

I also seem to be struggling with my diet on the weekends still. It's getting better, but it looks like for a few months most of my weekends will consist of traveling and driving. I am going to have to start packing all my food and actually eating it. I made a wonderful salad sunday for lunch, but ended up making and eating a sammich(yes sammich) later, which partly screwed up everything. It wasn't a horrible sammich, hummus with tofurky slices on a gluten free wrap. But I don't really eat hummus unless it doesn't have oil in it and is homemade, and tofurky defeats the purpose of the GF wrap. I try and stay away from processed foods and gluten which includes all fake meats.

So I have really been trying to focus on making my legs stronger. Not only because I want them to look nice and muscular but because I have several tough races coming up and I want to make sure that my legs can carry me the distance. A couple of months ago I felt like I wasn't really working them hard enough, I was seeing progress in the rest of my body except my legs. So I started doing leg days on Monday's and Friday's since those are my off days for running. I started to lift heavier (though I still feel like I could be lifting heavier) but still haven't really been seeing a difference. Well, yesterday I felt one of my legs and was surprised to feel muscles. I haven't been able to see a difference, but I'm starting to feel a difference. There seems to be slightly less fat than before and a lot more muscle. I still have a ways to go and not just with my legs, but it's good to know that I'm still making progress even if I can't see it yet.

I have also been meaning to take my body measurements again, but I lost the paper I have all of my numbers on from last time. I'm going to have to do a full house search for it so I can see if any progress was made from a few months ago.

WOD: Shoulders!

Military Press on hack machine 1 warm up set, 3x10: 10lb, 30lb

(Super Set)

Dumbbell Upright Row 3x10: 17lb

Standing Dumbbell Press 3x10: 17lb

(End Super Set)

Incline Front Dumbbell Raise 3x10: 10lb

Rear Delt Cable Flyes 3x10: 10lb

Lateral Raise 3x10: 10lb

Rear Delt Raise 3x10: 10lb

30 minutes of HIIT (30 second sprints followed by 30 seconds rest) at speeds 8 and 8.5

Note: looking at this, it's clear that my shoulders are still a pretty weak area. I dislocated my left shoulder twice a few years ago, and it's one of the reasons I try to continually lift weights. It's still a weak area and I need to consciously make a better effort to build strength here. The stronger they are the less likely I'll dislocate it again (I was told if it dislocates again I will have to have surgery).

Yesterday:

I did arms yesterday morning but was too lazy to post it here. Last night I also ran 4 miles with a 5 pound backpack and loved feeling every muscle in my legs work. I usually do 6 miles on tuesday nights but felt that my legs are still a bit tired from the work they did over the weekend and Monday's Leg day.

So, I discovered last night the best dessert/treat OF ALL TIME!!! Seriously. It's delicious and still healthy. I usually roast a bunch of sweet potatoes on Sunday to have throughout the week as a snack. I usually do a huge batch on Sunday because those buggers take forever to bake through, and I bake them individually wrapped in tin foil. I usually then take one each morning and mash it with some cinnamon, and sometimes add sugar-free/cal free maple syrup (I know it's bad but I'm trying to ween myself off it and go 100% sugar and sugar alternative free). Well last night, inspired by my friend's craving for chocolate, I decided to add cocoa powder to my baked sweet potato and mash it up. I added a bit of the maple syrup and cinnamon...and then died from ecstasy after I tried it. It is seriously one of the tastiest things ever. I don't know why I didn't think to try this sooner. I've made a chocolate custard in the past that was made with acorn squash, so that's how I came up with the idea of using one of my sweet potatoes instead. This is almost a tie with the raw chocolate pudding I make with banana and avocado and dates, which is also equally delicious by the way.

WOD: BACK!!!

Assisted Pull-Ups 3x10: 110lb resistant

(Super Set)Bent-over Barbell rows 3x8: 40lb

Cable Rows 3x8: 60lb

(End Super Set)

Lat Pull down 3x10: 70lb

One-arm Dumbbell row 3x8: 25lb, 30lb

Hammer Strength Lat Pull down 3x10: 50x10 (too easy), 100x5, 100x5

Back Extensions 3x8: 25lb plate held

40 minute run on treadmill

I didn't end up doing my second workout last night like I wanted to do...but I ended up doing a different workout instead which I think still counts (the one that involves a husband ;D).

Who is starting to feel muscle in her bum? THIS GIRL!!! That's bloody right ...I just can't wait until it's actually visible to other people. I'm pretty sure that once I attain my goal of a nice toned and fit body..I'm going to look for every damn excuse to walk around in a bathing suit or booty shorts. Maybe I'll move somewhere perpetually warm and then I can rock it all year round. I have about 3 more weeks of bulking and lifting heavy. Then, I'm going to spend the next few weeks doing circuit training and lifting mixed with HIIT to hopefully cut down some of the fat covering the muscles I've built.